Wire-stretcher



No. 606,760. Patented Ju'ly 5, |698.

1. H. HElsEY. l

WIRE STRETCHEB.

(Application filed Nov 18, 1897.)

(No Model.)

II Illini wigalssas UNITED *STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. HEISEY, OF MONTIOELLO, IOWA.

WIRE-STRETCHER.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 606,760, dated July 5, 1898.

` Application nea Novemberis, 1897. sentire. 658,982. (No model.)

T0 a/ZZ whom/tt may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. HEISEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Monticello, in the county of Jones and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Wire- Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-stretchers.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-stretchers and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efcient one which will not twist or slip and which will securely hold a wire while the same is being stapled or otherwise fastened to a fencepost.

Afurther object of the invention is torpro vide a wire-stretcher which can be conveniently manipulated and lin which the' pawls can be readily thrown out of engagement with the ratchet, so that a rope orcable may be freely unwoundfrom the shaft or drum.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a wire-stretcher constructed in accordance with this-invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, showing the pawls out of engagement with the ratchetteeth.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the gures of the drawings.

1 designates a supporting frame or casing having a flat back and parallel sides and receiving'a transverse drum or shaft 2, which Y is provided with journals 3, arranged in bearing-openings of the sides of the frame or casing. The transverse shaft or drum, which is adapted to receive a rope or cable 4, is provided at one end with ratchet-teeth 5, adapted to be engaged by a check-pawl 6 and an actuating-pawl'7, and the ,frame or casing is provided with longitudinally-disposed arms S and 9, which may be formed integral with it or which may consist of the end portions of a bar secured between its ends to the frame or casing. The arm 8 is provided at its outer end with a loop or eye lO, forming a guide for the rope or cable, which is provided at its outer end with a clamp 11, adapted to engage the wire to be stretched, and the other arm 9 is provided with oppositely-disposed hooks 12, adapted to engage links of an anchoringchain 13, which passes around a post and is adapted to secure the wire-stretcher to the same. The arm 9 serves as a shank for the hooks 12, which are located at its outer eX- tremities.

The ratchet-teeth, which are preferably formed integral with the shaft or drum, may be otherwise constructed, and the actuating- .pawl 7 is fulcrumed between its ends on the linner face of an operating-lever 14 by means of'a pivot 15. The inner end of the operating-lever is provided with a perforation to receive one of the journals of the shaft or drum, and it is fulcrumed on the same, beingk arranged at the inner face of one of the sides of the frame or casing between the same and the ratchet-teeth. The inner end of the actuating-pawl is maintained normally in engagement with the ratchet-,teeth by a spring 16, secured to the inner face of the operating-lever 14'an`d having one end'free and engaging the pawl 7.

The check-pawl 6, which is Vprovided with a substantially triangular tooth, has an angularly-disposed arm 17 and is fulcrumed or pivoted at its angle by a suitable fastening device 18, being arranged in the same longitudinal plane as the pawl 7. This pawl 6 is normally maintained in engagement with the ratchet-teeth by a spring 19, mounted onthe frame or casing and having one end free and angularly bent and engaging the arm 17. The arm 17 is arranged to be engaged by the pawl'7 when the operating-lever is swung back, as illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings, whereby the tooth of the check-pawl is swung outward away from the ratchet-teeth and is caused to engage the inner portion of the pawl 7 and carry it out of engagement with the said teeth. This frees the shaft or drum and permits the-rope or cable to be readily unwound therefrom.

The frame or casing is provided at the side opposite the operating-lever with a rigid handle or grip 20, consisting of a straight arm or IOO bar extending outward at an angle to the arms 8 and 9 and to the fence-wire to be stretched and enabling the wire-stretcher to be held perfectly steady during the operation of the same. The arm or bar 20, which eX- tends in the same general direction as the lever ll, is provided at its outer end with a suitable grip. The invention has the following advantages: 'l'he wire-stretcher is simple and ellieient, and it is adapted to tighten a wire to the desired tension without liability of twisting er slipping, and when the operating-lever is swung backward both pawls are disengaged from the ratchet-teeth to permit the rope or cable te be unwound freely.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrifieiug any of the advantages of this invention.

l. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of a frame or easing, a shaft or drum journaled therein and provided with ratchet-teeth, an operating-lm'er fulcrumed on the shaft or drum, anactuating-pawlcarried by the operating-lever, and a ehech-pawl arranged in the path of the actuatiug-pawl and provided with an angularly-disposed arm adapted to be engaged by the same, whereby its tooth is swung outward and is adapted to carry the engaging end of the actuating-paw] away from the ratchet-teeth to permit the shaft or drum to rotate freely, substantially as described.

2. ln a wire-stretcher, the combination of a frame or easing, a shaft or drum provided at its ends with journals arranged in suitable bearings of the sides of the frame or casing, said shaft or drum being provided with ratchet-teeth spaced from one of the sides of the frame or casing, an operating-lever fulerumed on the shaft or drumin the space between the ratchet-teeth and the frame or casing, a spring-actuated pawl pivoted between its ends on the operating-lever and engaging the ratchet-teeth, and a check-pawl pivoted to the frame or casing, engaging the ratchetteeth and provided with an angularly-dis posed arm arranged in the path of the said pawl, whereby it is adapted to throw the same out of engagement with the ratchet-teeth, substantially as described.

3. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of a frame or casing having sides, a shaft or drum journaled between the sides, an operatinglever mounted on one side of the frame or casing and provided with means for actuating the shaft er drum, said lever being disposed longitudinally of the wire-stretcher, and a rigid bar or handle mounted on the other side 0i the frame or casing and extending longitudinally of the same at an angle to the fencewire to be stretched and in the same general direction as the operating-lever, said arm or bar being provided at its outer end with a grip, substantially as described.

4f. In' a wire-stretcher, the combination of a frame comprising a iiat back, parallel sides, a longitudinal arm 8, extending from the back at one end of the frame and having a guideeye, and the longitudinal arm fl, extending from the back at the other end of the frame and provided at its outer extremity with oppositely-disposed hooks l2 and serving as a shank for the same, a shaft or drum journaled in the frame, a rope or cable passing through the guide-eye and connected with the shaft or drum, and an anchoring-chain having its ends connected to the hooks, substantially as described.

5. In a wire-stretcher, the combination of a frame or casing, a shaft or drum journaled therein and provided with ratchet-teeth, an operating-lever provided with an actuatingpawl arranged to engage the ratchet-teeth, and a check-pa'wl engaging said teeth and arranged in the path of the operating-lever and adapted to be engaged by the same, whereby it is swung away from the ratchet-teeth to permit the shaft or drum to rotate freely, substantially as described.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed mysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

.lOllN ll. lllClSlCY.

lVitnesses:

J. W. Doxsnn, MARY 'lacrima'. 

